Apparatus for inflating bicycle-tires.



No. 634,958. Patented Oct. I7, I899. M. H. RAY & W. H. PAINE.

APPARATUS FOR INFLATING BICYCLE TIRES.

(Application filed Mar. 10, 1898.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets8heet 1.

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APPARATUS FOR INFLATING BICYCLE TIRES. (Application filed Mar, 10,1s9a.)

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 2,

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(Application filed Mar. 10, 1898.)

'(No Model.) I 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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APPARATUS FOR INFLATING BICYCLE TBES.

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Nrrnn STATES PATENT FFIQE.

MILES II. RAY, OF EAST PROVIDENCE, AND WILLIAM l-IOlVARD PAINE, OF

PROVIDENCE, RIIODE ISLAND.

APPARATUS FOR INFLATING BICYCLE-TIRES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 634,958, dated October17, 1899.

Application filed March 10, 1898.

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MILES H. RAY, of East Providence, and WILLIAMHOWARD PAINE, of the city of Providence, in the county of Provideuce, inthe State of Rhode Island, have invented a certain new and usefulImprovement in Coin-Controlled Apparatus for the Inflation ofBicycle-Tires; and I declare the following to be a specificationthereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Like numerals indicate like parts.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of our invention with the case thereof invertical section. In this figurethe parts are shown in their nor-- malposition when the coin has been introduced into the coin-chute, butbefore it has set the mechanism in operation. Fig. 2 is a view in frontelevation showing the coinchute's, coin carrier, pump, gears,contactlever, and registering device when the mechanism is at theinstant of starting its operation. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of thecoinchutes and coin-carrier when the latter is in position to drop ametallic disk (not a coin) to prevent the operation of the machine. Fig.4 is a top elevation of our invention with the casein horizontalsection. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the coin, lower coinchute,contact-lever, rock-shaft, and gate and disk to operate the latter, theparts being shown in position just before the coin leaves the lowerchute. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the same parts as in Fig. 4,except the coin, and illustrates the position of the same just after thecoin has been dropped from the contact-lever. Fig. 7 shows the electricmotor with its bearings and connected gear and the governor on the shaftthereof in side elevation and the pump and connected pipes in 40 centralvertical section. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of our improved apparatuswith a bicycle thereon in position for the in fiation of the tire. Fig.9 is a side elevation of our apparatus.- Fig. 10 is a side elevation ofthe commutator and connected parts with the coin-carrier in position toreceive the coin from the upper coin-chute. Fig. 11 is a top plan of thesame when in the position shown in Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is aside elevationof the 50 elements shown in Fig. 10 when the coin-carrier is in positionto discharge the coin into the lower coin-chute. Fig. 13 is a top planof the pipe 35.

the same when in the position shown in Fig.

Serial No. 678,392. (No model.)

12. Fig. 14 is a side elevation of the elements shown in Fig. 10 whenthe coin-carrier has received a spurious coin or disk and is about todischarge the same below the lower coinchute. Fig-15 is a top plan ofthe same when in the position shown in Fig. 14.

Our invention is a coin-controlled appara- 6o tus for the inflation ofbicycle'tires; and it consists of the novel construction and combinationof. the several parts or elements, as hereinafter described, andspecifically set out in the claims.

The operative mechanism is inclosed in a case 1, supported upon thestandards 2 on a base 3. On the standards 2 are hooks 4:, upon which abicycle is suspended, as shown in Fig. 8. The valve-stem of thepneumatic tire of the bicycle is seen at5. A rubber tube 6, having aconnection 7, is secured to the valve 5- of the pneumatic tire andconducts the air from an air-pump, as hereinafter described.

Upon supports 8, fastened to the bottom 9 v of the case 1, is mounted insuitable bearings 10 the shaft 11 of a suitable electric motor 12, Figs.4 and 7, the wire 13 of which, Fig. 7, is in contact by means of thescrew 14 with a wire from a source of electricity. The shaft 11 has asmall gear 15 secured thereon at one end, and on the opposite end is agoverning device which consists of a fixed collar 16 011 said shaft, aloose or sliding collar 17, movable on said shaft, and two governors orballs 18 19, with metallic rods 20 21 from the collar 16 to thegovernor-balls 18 19, respectively, and with metallic rods 22 23 fromthe sliding collar 17 to the governor-balls 18 1!), respec tively.

A base-plate 24: upon the bottom 9 of the case 1 has the eat-pieces 25and an air-pump consisting of a cylinder 26, a cylinder-head 27, and adischarge pipe or tube 28, in which cylinder is a piston 29, movable bya pistonrod 30. Said pump is mounted by an ear 31 upon a pin 32, whichpasses through the cars 2525 31, so that the air-pump has an oscillatingmovement when in operation. A pipe 33 is fitted in the discharge-tube 28of the air-pump at one end and at its opposite end is enlarged, as at34, to receive the end of The pipe has its outer end open and isconstructed, as shown in section in Fig. 7, with a valve 36 rotatablymounted 10 therein having a transverse bore or way capa' the coin 58,which when inserted and released ble of being continuous with the boreof the pipe 35 when said valve is properly turned, or said pipe 35 maybe closed by said valve 36, as in Fig. 7, when turned as there shown. Alink-bar 37, fastened to said valve 36 at its lower end, has its upperend pivotally connected, as seen at 38, to the sliding collar 17. Thepipe 35 has a branch pipe 39 therefrom, to which the rubber tube 6 iscoupled.

The gear 15 of the motor 12 meshes with the gear 40, which is mountedupon a shaft 41, that is supported upon the frame 42, Fig. 4. A smallgear 43 is fastened upon the shaft 41 and meshes with the gear 44, whichis fastened upon the shaft 45, the latter being mounted in the frame 42and in a bracket 46 thereof, as seen in Fig. 4. t The shaft 45 also hasa small gear 47, which meshes with the gear 48 on the shaft 49, which ismounted in the frame 42. The shaft 49 also has the small gear 50, whichmeshes with the gear 51 upon the shaft 52. The shaft 52 also has thecircular disk 53 fastened thereon, Figs. 5 and 6,

from the edge of which projects the stud or spur 54. The several gearsaforesaid revolve in the direction indicated by the respective arrowsshown as adjacent thereto in Figs. 1 and 2, and said gears arepreferably made in such relation to each other that while the gear 15makes two thousand revolutions the gear 40 makes two hundred revolutionsand the gear 51 will make one complete revolution. On the shaft 41 isalso a crank-wheel 55, to which is pivotally connected at 56 thepiston-rod 30 of the air-pump.

The case 1 has a slot 57 for the insertion of rolls by gravity downalong a gently-inclined chute 59, which has a side, a top and bottom,and two flanges, as shown in the drawings.

A coin carrier or wheel 60 is mounted rotatably with a shaft 61, whichis supported by the brackets 62 from the case, as shown in Fig. 4. Thiscoin carrier or wheel has a pocket 63 on one side thereof, extendingfrom the periphery toward the center, and radially opposite is acounterweight 64. Thecoincarrying wheel 60 has a hub integral therewithand extending at one side, surrounded by a coil of wire, as seen at 65in Fig. 4. A storage battery 66 has its wires 67 6% connected, theformer with the bearing of the shaft 61 of the coin-carrying wheel 60and the latter with the brush 69, and through the action of the brushand a commutator the wheel 60 and its hub are intermittently magnetizedand demagnet-ized, as fully shown in Figs. 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15.In said figures the coin-carrier is shown in three positions. In thefirst position, Figs. 10 and 11, the carrier is shown ready to receivethe coin from the coin-chute 59. In this position the electric current,through the wires 67 68, the brush 69, axle 61, wires 90 and 91, and thecoil 92, is interrupted by the commutator, as shown, and the magnet isinoperative. In Figs. 12 and 13 the carrier is shown in the positionnecessary to discharge the coin into the coinchute 70. It will be seenthat in this position the current passes by the wire 68 and brush 69through the brass strip 92 on the its third or lowest position, havingpassed be-' yond the chute 70 and being able to discharge the worthlessdisk outside of said chute.

When the parts are in this position, the current from the battery 66, bythe wire 68, brush 69, through the commutator, the wire 91, around theelectromagnet 65, by the wire '90 to the axle 61, and thence through thebearing 62, and by the'wire 67 to said battery, is again interrupted bythe action of the commutator and the elect-romagnet again becomesinoperative.

The commutator consists of a hard-rubber barrel or tube 93, mounted onthe shaft 61 and fixed thereon so as to revolve with it. On said rubbertube are mounted two brass rings 94, between which is the brass strip92. It will be readily seen that if connection be made between the brassrings 94 and a pole of the electromagnet 65 a current will pass throughthe brush 69 and said brass strip 92 and brass rings 94 to the magnet,as above described, when said strip 92 by the rotation of the commutatoris in metallic contact with the brush 69, and that whensaid brass strip92 by said action of the commutator has passed beyond metallic con tactwith the brush 69 no magnetic action can take place.

In Fig. 4 the coin-chute 59 is shown partly by dotted lines and partlyin solid lines. Another coin-chute 70 extends diagonally and with agentle decline from the coin-carrying wheel 60, as shown in elevation inFigs. 1 and 2 and in top plan, partly in dotted lines and partly insolid lines, in Fig. 4. The outer end of the coin-chute 70 is closed andin the bottom of it near the end is a slot or aperture 71. (Plainly seenin Figs. 5 and 6.)

Upon a shaft 72, mounted in the frame 42, is supported alever 73, whichwe designate as a contact-lever. On its outer end are two parallel sidepieces 74, projecting upward, and at its inner end is a counter poise orweight 75. A short shaft 76 is mounted on the frame 42, Fig. 4, and asleeve 77, movable thereon, has two arms, one (indicated at 78) being apush-bar and the other (shown at 79) constituting a partiallyrotatinggate normally held in the vertical position (seenin Fig. 5) by means ofaspiral spring 80 against a stop 81 on the end of the lever 73. Thecontactlever 73 has the contact-point 82. A contactpiece 83 is mountedin the frame 42 and has a notch adapted to receive the contact-point 82of the lever 73.

A register 84 has the usual dials, as illustrated in Fig. 1, and also aprojection or stud IIO 85, adapted to operate the gearing within, whichis of the usual construction and ar rangement. A box or receptacle 86 isprovided within the case 1 to receive and hold the coins 87. A wire 88from a source of elec tricity extends to the contact-piece 83. A wire 89connects the electric motor 12 and the lever 73. The dials of theregister 84c show through an aperture in the case 1 for that purpose,and a door in the box 86 and through the case, Fig. 3, enables thewithdrawal by the owner of the apparatus of the accumulated coins 87.

Having thus explained the different parts of said mechanism, we will nowexplain its operation.

The bicycle whose pneumatic tires are to be inflated is hung upon thehooks 4 of the standards 2 and the rubber tube 6 is connected by its tip7 with the valve-stem 5 of thepneumatic tire. The coin 53 is inserted inthe slot 57 of the case 1 and rolls by gravity along the inclinedcoin-chute 59 and enters the pocket 63 of the coin-carrying wheel 60.The weight of the coin 58 in said pocket 63 overcomes the weight of thecounterpoise (S and causes the wheel 60 to rotate sufficiently to bringits pocket 63 into coincidence with the upwardly-bentinnerend of thecoin-chute 70, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. The coin 58 thenrolls down the inclined chute until. it comes to the slot 71 therein,Fig. 5, and through said slot 71 itdrops upon the lever 73, between theparallel side pieces 74 thereof, thereby overcoming the weight of the'counterpoise 75 and causing the lever 73 to move from the positionshown in Figs. 1 and 5 to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 6. Thecontact-point 82 of the lever 73 is by this movement brought into thenotch of the contactpiece 83, thus closing the electric circuit. Thiscircuit is formed by the wire 13, electric motor 12, wire 89, lever 73,contact-point 82, contact-piece 83, and wire 88. As soon as thiselectric circuit is thus closed the electric motor begins to operate andby the rotation of its gear 15 turns the gear 4:0. The gear 40 turns thecrank-wheel 55, which is fastened to the same shaft 41 with it, and thusthe piston 30 is moved in the cylinder26 and pumps air; but as theelectric motor cannot start with a load and immediately do efficientwork in pumping air wevprovide the valve and valve-actuating mechanismshown in Fig. 7. When the motor 12 is inactive or is beginning work, theopening of the valve 36 is continuous with the bore of the pipe 35, andthe air as pumped is simply blown out at the open end of the pipe 35 anddoes nothing toward the inflation of the tire; but when the speed andpower of the electric motor accumulate, the governors 18 19 flyoutwardly and move the collar 17 upon the shaft'll, thereby operatingthe link-bar 37 and turning the valve 36 to the position shown in Fig. V

7. The air thereafter pumped is forced from the cylinder 26 through thetube 28, pipes 33,

35, and'39, and through the rubber tube 6 into the tubular tire of thebicycle-whcel to in- Hate the same. The coin 58 after it strikes uponthe lever 73 drops therefrom, as shown in Fig. 2, and falls into the boxor receptacle 86, Fig. 1. ,To allow the coin 58 so to drop, the gate 79must be moved laterally from the position shown in Fig. 5 to theposition shown in Fig. 6. This is caused by the disk 53, turned by theshaft 52 and gear 51, which by the gearing intermediate between it andthe gear 10 is revolved, bringing the projecting spur 54 of the disk 53against the push-bar 78 of the sleeve 77 and moving said push-bar outof-its path, thus turning the sleeve and with it the gate 79 thereon. Assoon as the coin 58 has been dropped by the lever 73 the spiral spring80 returns the gate 79 to its normal position. The lever 73 being nowrelieved of the weight of the coin 58 is brought by its counterpoise 75from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 6 to the position shownin Figs. 1and 5, thereby lifting the contact-point 82 from the contact-piece 83and breaking the electric circuit, whereupon the electric motor ceasesits work. The projecting spur 54 of the disk 53 in passing has moved theprojecting stud 85 of the register- 84 and so has indicated on the dialthat the machine has been once used. By this means the number of tiresinflated by the machine is recorded.

Vith coin-actuated machines it is very common for evilly-disposedpersons to endeavor to operate the machines by means of iron washersinstead of by coins, and thus defraud the owner of the machine from theincome which it is designed to earn for him. To prevent such misuse ofthe machine,we have provided a detective device, which is operatedautomatically, as follows: The storage battery 66 by its wires andcommutator electrically charges the hub and wheel 60. A genuine coin,not being affected by magnetisimwvill not in passing be retained, by thecoin-carrying wheel 60, but will be shifted thereby from the coin-chute59 to the coin-chute 70, as already described, the action of gravitycausing said coin to roll out of the pocket 63 as soon as the latterisin the position indicated in Fig. 2 by dotted lines; but when the ironwasher or disk rolls into the pocket 63 of the wheel 60 it is held fasttherein by the magnetic force of the wheel and hub, and the wheel andhub turn by reason of the weight of the washer or disk past the openingof the coinchute 70 and to the position shown in Fig. 3, and there asthe current from the battery 66 is shut off by the commutator the washeror disk is no longer held to the wheel, but drops therefrom within thecase, as indicated at in Fig. 1, and the pumping mechanism is notoperated at all by such washer or disk. It is evident that thisprotective device is equally applicable to all kinds of coin-actuatedmachines, as well as to that hereinbefore described.

When the coin-carrying wheel 60 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, itis inactive and the commutator is in such relation to it as to break theelectric current from the battery 66, but as soon as the coin 58 hasrolled into the pocket 63 of said wheel the wheel begins to turn onaccount of the weight of the coin,

and by the turning of the wheel the commutator comes into position tocomplete the electric circuit, thus holding the metallic disk 58 to thewheel in the pocket thereof if the same is not genuine coin and notliberating it until the wheel and its load are in the position shown inFig. 3.

We claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by LettersPatent 1. In a coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of two chutesin which a magnetizable disk is movable and which are arranged at anacute angle with each other and one above the other, avertically-oscillating carrier adapted to be actuated by the weight ofsaid disk and pivotally mounted upon proper supports and having a hub,an electric battery and wire connection therefrom with said carrier orits supports and with said hub to magnetize the same, means adapted tomake and break the electric current when the carrier is in certainpositions, a pocket in said carrier normally continuous with the upperchute,but opening vertically downward,when the metallic disk is thereinand adapted to release the disk to the action of gravity when theelectric current is broken, substantially as shown.

2. In a coin-controlled mechanism, the combination of two chutes'inwhich a disk is movable and which are arranged at an acute angle witheach other and one above the other, a vertically-oscillating carrier,adapted to be actuated by the weight of said disk and pivotallymountedupon propersupports and having a hub, an electric battery and Wire con-.nection therefrom with said carrier and its supports and with said hubto magnetize the same, means to make and break the electric current atcertain positions of the carrier, a pocket in said carrier normallycontinuous with the upper chute and subsequently continuous with thelower chute by the oscillation of the carrier and adapted to dischargesaid disk into the lower chute, if said disk is of a metal notmagnetizable, but which is capable of moving beyond the lower chute bythe oscillation of the carrier and of releasing to the operation ofgravity in a vertical direction a magnetized disk, so that the samecannot enter the lower chute but falls outside of the lower chute,whenever said pocket opens vertically downward and the electric currentis broken by the means aforesaid, substantially as set forth.

3. In a coin-controlled mechanism the combination of two chutes in whicha disk is movable and which are arranged at an acute angle with eachother, one above the other, avertically-oscillating magnet adapted toreceive said disk from the upper chute and be actuated by the weight ofsaid disk and pivotally mounted upon proper supports, said magnet beingarranged to deliver said disk into the lower chute, if the disk is notmagnetizable, but to prevent the delivery of the disk into the lowerchute, if the disk is magnetizable, substantially as specified.

4. Theimproved coin-controlled apparatus for inflating a bicycle-tireherein described, consisting of the case 1 having a slot 57 and a bottom9, the latter of which is mounted upon standards 2, and provided withhooks 4, an electric motor 12 having a shaft 11 mountedin bearings 10 ofsupports 8, a fixed collar 16 and a sliding collar 17 upon the shaft 11near one end thereof and a gear 15 upon the opposite end thereof, twogovernor-balls 18, 19, the rods 23 and 22 from the sliding collar 17 tosaid governor-balls, respectively, the rods 20 and 21 from the fixedcollar 16 to the governor-balls l9 and 18, respectively, the coggedwheel 40 mounted on a shaft 41 in a frame 42 and engageable by said gear15, a crank-wheel 55 on said shaft 41 and also a gear 43 on said shaft,a cylinder-pump 26 mounted by its ear 31 upon a pin 32 between the earsof a base 24 and having a discharge-tube 28, a piston 29 in saidcylinder having a piston-rod pivotally connected with the crank-wheel55, a cylinderhead 27 upon said cylinder 26, a pipe 33 fitting in thedischarge-tube 28, and having an enlarged end 34, a pipe 35 having oneend open and the other end fitting into the enlargement 34 of the pipe33, a branch pipe 39 opening from the pipe 35, a rubber tube ofitting onthe branch pipe 39, a connection 7 on the end of the tube 6, a valve 36in the pipe 35, a link 37 adapted to move the valve 36 and pivotallyconnected with the sliding collar17, a train of gears 44, 47, 48, and51, properly mounted on shafts in the frame 42, a disk 53 on the shaft52 0f the gear 51, a spur 54 on the disk 53, a shaft 76 from the frame42, a sleeve 77 on the shaft 76 having the push-arm 78 and the gate 79,the spiral spring 80 from the gate 79 to a fixed support, the coin-chute59, the coin-wheel upon the shaft 51, having a pocket 63 and acounterpoise 64, the coin-chute having the slot 71, the contactlever 73on a shaft 72 and having the upwardly-extending sides 74 and thecontactpoint 82, the counterpoise 75 on the opposite end of the lever73, the contact-piece 83, the register 84, with its operating-lever 85,the storage battery 66, the wire coil 65 the hub of the coin-wheel 60and the wires 13, 67, 68, 88, 89, arranged in circuits as shown and acommutator, all operating substantially as and for thepurpose.specified.

MILES H. RAY. WM. HOWARD PAINE. Witnesses:

FRANK STEERE, WARREN R. PERCE.

IOC

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